Abstract: A method uses an underwater vehicle travelling along an underwater surface projecting high frequency sound at the underwater surface to produce an image of the underwater surface with sufficient along track and cross track resolution to be able to identify cracks or other irregularities in the underwater surface.

Abstract: We provide a hydrodechlorination and hydrogen chloride recovery process, comprising: a) contacting at least one hydrocarbon product with a hydrodechlorination catalyst in the presence of hydrogen under hydrodechlorination conditions to provide: i) an off-gas comprising an HCl, and ii) a dechlorinated product; b) separating the dechlorinated product from the off-gas; c) contacting the off-gas with an adsorbent under HCl adsorbing conditions such that the HCl is adsorbed by the adsorbent; and d) after step c), recovering the HCl from the adsorbent.

Abstract: A method for determining corrosiveness of naphthenic acid in a crude oil feedstock is provided. The method includes the steps of providing a crude oil feedstock containing naphthenic acid; contacting the crude oil feedstock with iron for a period of time at a sufficient temperature for the iron to react with the naphthenic acid, forming iron salts. Under sufficiently high temperatures, at least a portion of the iron salts decompose to form ketone, which can be quantified. Measurements of the ketone can be used to correlate with the amount of iron lost from corrosion given a certain level of naphthenic acid present, giving a measure of the corrosivity of crude oil feedstock.

Abstract: A work piece for use in abrasive environments with hardbanding is provided. The work piece has at least a protective layer deposited onto at least a portion to be protected. The deposited layer exhibits a hardness of at least 50 Rc, a wear rate of less than 0.5 grams of mass loss as measured according to ASTM G65-04, Procedure A, a wear rate on a contacting secondary body comprising carbon steel of less than 0.005 grams as measured according to modified ASTM G77 wear test. The deposited alloy forms an iron matrix comprising embedded hard particles in an amount of less than 15 vol. %. The embedded hard particles have an average particle size of ranging from 100 nm to 5 ?m. In one embodiment, the deposition is via welding.

Abstract: A method for forming protective coatings on equipment is disclosed. The coating is formed from a single-component Fe-based alloy composition comprising at least two refractory elements selected from Cr, V, Nb, Mo and W in an amount of up to 30% each and a total concentration of up to 40%. In one embodiment, the single-component coating layer is applied by thermal spraying, followed by heat treatment for at least a portion of the refractory elements to fuse into the substrate forming a metallurgical bond. The coating has an adhesion strength of at least 7,000 psi measured according to ASTM D4541. The coating is further characterized as being impermeable to corrosive environments showing no pin holes in the ferroxyl test according to ASTM A967 Practice E.

Abstract: Equipment (work piece) for use in corrosive resistant coating on equipment is disclosed. The equipment has at least a portion of its surface coated with a layer formed from a NiCrMo alloy composition containing at least two gettering components selected from Al, Si, and Ti in an amount of up to 25 wt. %. The coating in one embodiment is applied on the equipment using a thermal spray technique, e.g., twin wire arc spray, forming coatings of 5-50 mils thickness having a fine-scale micro-pore structure. The coating layer is characterized as having excellent adhesion strength and corrosion resistant properties, even when applied with varying parameters as in manual on-site coating applications. In one embodiment, the coating layer has an impurity content of less than 15%.

Abstract: A method for forming protective corrosive resistant coatings on equipment is disclosed. The coating is formed from a NiCrMo alloy composition containing at least two gettering components selected from Al, Si, and Ti in an amount of up to 25 wt. %. The coating in one embodiment is applied using a thermal spray technique, e.g., twin wire arc spray, forming coatings of 5-50 mils thickness having a fine-scale micro-pore structure which is effectively non-permeable in aggressive solutions, and resist selective oxidation in thermal spraying of components for maximized corrosion performance The coating is further characterized as having excellent adhesion strength even when applied with varying parameters as in manual on-site coating applications.

Abstract: Clathrate reservoirs of Class II are modified in order to improve the ability to produce hydrocarbons from them. Specifically a method for improving producibility of subsurface clathrate formation underlain by a mobile aquifer includes drilling a borehole to a depth providing access to the mobile aquifer and injecting a material into the mobile aquifer such that the material passes through pore spaces and forms a barrier underlying the clathrate formation and substantially impeding fluid flow from the mobile aquifer into contact with the clathrate formation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for connecting an umbilical to a marine riser is provided. The method and apparatus can be employed in instances when a riser is already in place in the water, extending from a drilling vessel to subsea equipment on the ocean floor.

Abstract: A pipe system for containing corrosive petroleum products with a total resistance of less than 1 MEG ohms to ground from all points to prevent the accumulation of static electricity is provided. The pipe system has at least two pipe sections, each comprising a structural layer and a corrosion resistant layer. The corrosion resistant layer has at least a conductive surface area in contact with the fluid, with the conductive surface area defining an electrical pathway extending a length of the pipe section. Each pipe section has a tapered end exposing a portion of the corrosion resistant layer. The two pipe sections are joined at the tapered ends by a conductive adhesive overlay. The conductive adhesive overlay is electrically connected to a grounding device, wherein the grounding device helps dissipate build-up of electrostatic charge in the pipe system carrying the fluid.

Abstract: A structural component system for containing a hot fluid, e.g., petroleum product, and methods to dissipate heat build-up in the structural component is disclosed. In one embodiment, the structural component is a composite pipe for carrying a hot fluid, e.g., petroleum products. The system comprises a protective sheath disposed around the structural component and forms an air space between the structural component and the sheath. The sheath has at least two gaps on its surface, with the gaps being sufficiently spaced apart to allow air flowing through the air space from one gap to another to dissipate heat build-up from the hot fluid contained within the structural component. In one embodiment, an intumescent material is applied near the gaps, which material expands when heated to a temperature in a fire to effectively close the gaps and protect the structural component from the fire.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for the hydroconversion of hydrocarbon feedstock with a hydrogen gas at elevated temperature and pressure with the use of a catalyst. The apparatus is a reactor vessel with a grid plate distributor for improved gas liquid distribution. The distributor comprises a grid plate and a bubble cap assembly with a plurality of tubular risers extending through the grid plate. Each tubular riser has an upper section above the grid plate and a lower section below the grid plate, the lower section terminated with an open bottom end for ingress of the hydrogen gas and hydrocarbon feedstock, the upper section having a closed top terminated with a housing cap. Each tubular riser has at least a vertical slot and a least a side hole sufficiently sized such that in operation, the liquid level in the zone below the grid plate is above the vertical slot and below the side hole opening.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments include an apparatus for imaging a volume of material contained inside a vessel. The apparatus includes a plurality of synchronized acoustic sensors positioned at a periphery of an inner volume of the vessel. A processor combines the outputs of the acoustic sensors to identify at least one ambient noise source of the industrial process generating a noise field that illuminates an internal volume of the vessel and to provide an image of the material by temporal and spatial coherent processing of the transmission and reflection of the noise field generated by the noise source.

Abstract: A process for preparing a slurry catalyst for the upgrade of heavy oil feedstock is provided. The process employs a pressure leach solution obtained from a metal recovery process as part of the metal precursor feed. In one embodiment, the process comprises: sulfiding a pressure leach solution having at least a Group VIB metal precursor compound in solution forming a catalyst precursor, and mixing the sulfided catalyst precursor with a hydrocarbon diluent to form the slurry catalyst. In another embodiment, the pressure leach solution is mixed with a hydrocarbon diluent under high shear mixing conditions to form an emulsion, which emulsion can be sulfided in-situ upon contact with a heavy oil feedstock in the heavy oil upgrade process.

Abstract: An improved process for preparing a slurry catalyst for the upgrade of heavy oil feedstock is provided. The process employs rework material obtained from a process to prepare a hydroprocessing catalyst as part of the metal precursor feed. In one embodiment, the process comprises mixing the rework material with a hydrocarbon diluent to form a slurried metal precursor for subsequent in-situ sulfiding in a heavy oil upgrade process. In another embodiment, the rework is slurried in a hydrocarbon carrier and a sulfiding agent, forming a slurry catalyst. In yet another embodiment, the rework material is mixed directly with a heavy oil feedstock under in-situ sulfiding conditions, forming a slurry catalyst.

Abstract: A process for preparing a slurry catalyst is provided. The slurry catalyst is prepared from at least a Group VIB metal precursor and optionally at least a Promoter metal precursor selected from Group VIII, Group IIB, Group IIA, Group IVA metals and combinations thereof. The slurry catalyst comprises a plurality of dispersed particles in a hydrocarbon medium having an average particle size ranging from 1 to 300 nm. The slurry catalyst is then mixed with a hydrogen feed at a pressure from 1435 psig (10 MPa) to 3610 psig (25 MPa) and a temperature from 200-800° F. at 500 to 15,000 scf hydrogen per bbl of slurry catalyst for a minute to 20 hours, for the slurry catalyst to be saturated with hydrogen providing an increase of k-values in terms of HDS, HDN, and HDMCR of at least 15% compared to a slurry catalyst that is not saturated with hydrogen.

Abstract: A process for making an improved slurry catalyst for the upgrade of heavy oil feedstock is provided. In the process, a metal precursor solution comprising at least a water-soluble molybdenum compound and a water-soluble metal zinc compound is mixed under high shear mixing conditions to generate an emulsion. The emulsion is subsequently sulfided with a sulfiding agent ex-situ, or in-situ in a heavy oil feedstock to form the slurry catalyst. The in-situ sulfidation in heavy oil is under sufficient condition for the heavy oil feedstock to generate the sulfiding source needed for the sulfidation.

Abstract: An improved hydroprocessing slurry catalyst is provided for the upgrade of heavy oil feedstock. The slurry catalyst is prepared from at least a Group VIB metal precursor compound and optionally at least a Promoter metal precursor compound. The catalyst comprises dispersed particles in a hydrocarbon medium with the dispersed particles have an average particle size ranging from 1 to 300 ?m. The catalyst has a total surface area of at least 100 m2/g. The catalyst is prepared from sulfiding and dispersing a metal precursor solution in a hydrocarbon diluent, the metal precursor comprising at least a Primary metal precursor and optionally a Promoter metal precursor, the metal precursor solution having a pH of at least 4 and a concentration of less than 10 wt. % of Primary metal in solution.

Abstract: A method to predict evolution of the diameter distribution of droplets that are injected into a process fluid in a process pipe or industrial pipeline is disclosed. The method is implemented with the use of a processor that: receives first information corresponding to a process fluid and a piping infrastructure in which the process fluid flows; receives second information corresponding to an injectant and an injector configured to inject the injectant into the process fluid; and predicts a droplet size distribution as a function of time based on the received first and second information. The prediction is based at least in part on computation of one or more closed-form expressions for mathematical description of the droplet interaction processes.

Abstract: A process for treating spent catalyst containing heavy metals, e.g., Group VIB metals and Group VIII metals is provided. In one embodiment after deoiling, the spent catalyst is treated with an ammonia leach solution under conditions sufficient to dissolve the group VIB metal and the Group VIII metal into the leaching solution, forming a leach slurry. After solid-liquid separation to recover a leach solution, chemical precipitation and solids repulping is carried out to obtain an effluent stream containing ammonium sulfate (Amsul), ammonium sulfamate, Group VB, Group VIB and Group VIII metals. Following sulfidation, the Group VIII metal is fully removed and Group VB and Group VI metals are partially removed from the Amsul stream.